Maersk Line subsidiary, MCI, has set up a second reefer box factory outside China.
When the factory opens in December, in San Antonio, Chile, it will be the first factory outside China producing insulated reefer containers.
Currently, the insulated container producers – CIMC, MCI and Singamas – all have their production facilities in China. MCI San Antonio will also be the first reefer container factory in South America.
Choosing to build its second reefer box factory in Chile was down to changing trade flows, explained MCI spokesman, Erik Høgh-Sørensen.
“There is a huge amount of food exported from the west coast of South America and every year there is a significant shortage of reefers. Our calculations show that placing the factory in Chile will save reefer owners $1,400 per unit, because they won’t have to ship-in empty boxes.”
He says also that manufacturing in China has become more expensive.
